


Fitzsimmons undercover

by sherlylikeswaffles



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Hydra, Undercover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-23
Updated: 2016-03-26
Packaged: 2018-04-23 01:43:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4858394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sherlylikeswaffles/pseuds/sherlylikeswaffles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fitzsimmons AU: Jemma and Leo are undercover inside Hydra together where they have to find out about Hydra's scientific discoveries. And somehow everyone there thinks they are a couple. So why not act like one?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This Fitzsimmons Fanfic is supposed to have seven chapters. I have written the first three so far and I will update once a week. Thank you to Pocket Pavel for beta-reading. Would be awesome, if you could leave a comment. This is my first really long fic. I suck at titles, sorry. It has fluff and angst and some action, too. Enjoy!

“Fitzsimmons, please come to my office", Coulson's voice announced through the speakers. Fitz and Simmons exchanged a curious look. Then they left their lab and went upstairs.  
"Come on in," Coulson answered to Fitz' knock.  
"You wanted to see us, Sir? " asked Jemma.  
"Yes, I need you two. I need you to go on a mission." At the mention of a mission Fitzsimmons looked at each other excitedly.  
"It will probably be the most dangerous, difficult and important mission of your lives. I know you're not exactly field agents but this is about science and I trust no one but you with this." While Coulson explained, Fitz and Simmons listened carefully. They hoped Coulson would finally come to a point.  
"Fitzsimmons, your mission is to work undercover inside Hydra."  
"Seriously, Sir?" was Fitz' first reaction.  
"We have never really been undercover, " added Simmons. Although, she had to admit, she had always wanted to.  
"I know but there is no other way." Coulson sighed. He really didn't look happy to send his best scientists away.  
"So here is the plan: You apply for jobs inside Hydra's labs. You tell them that you changed sides because the Shield you worked in no longer exists and that you want to achieve something great. Flatter them as much as possible and make it clear that you're more interested in scientific progress than anything else. When you're inside, collect information about their projects. We have to know what they are working on. You will be there under your real names because you're known geniuses. But I altered some facts in your biographies. No one should know that you are part of my team. Here you go: these folders contain all the information I could gather. Read them carefully."  
Fitzsimmons nodded and left Coulson's office.

"Our own flat!" Fitz said enthusiastically and looked around. The flat wasn't really much but compared to their personal space at the Bus, it was huge. Jemma and Leo each had their own bedroom and shared a bathroom and a living room with a small kitchen attached.  
“Yes, but at what cost? If Hydra is as hard working for world domination as Shield is for the world's security, we will hardly see this place,” Jemma said. Still, she couldn't help but smile when Fitz jumped onto his bed, looking like he was in a luxury hotel. 

The alarm woke Jemma up at half past six. She was used to the sound of it. But she wasn't used to what surrounded her when she opened her eyes. Right, she was in a flat because she was working undercover with Fitz. She had to get into the Hydra facility and start her work there. But first, breakfast. And before breakfast she had to get dressed. Standing in front of the closet she wondered what she should put on, this was Hydra after all. But then she decided to stick with the usual, skinny jeans and a dark blue blouse with tiny white dots on it. She didn't want any more change.  
Fitz looked very much asleep when she entered the kitchen. He could barely hold his cup of tea.  
“You look like you haven't slept all that much,” Jemma remarked and helped herself to some tea and a toast.  
“You know, I always need some time to adjust to... new living conditions. But I'll be fine.”  
“Are you nervous? This is our first day. What if they notice something?”  
“We'll be fine, Jemma,” Fitz reassured her, “Just stick to the plan. We go in there and do the work we are told to do and collect as much information as possible. It will be science. Not the usual stuff we do and it will be for a totally different aim. But after all, it's still science.”  
“I'm good at science,” Jemma answered.  
“Yes, you are. You are brilliant,” Fitz said.  
“But what about the lying part? Fitz, you know I'm a terrible liar!”  
“Yes, I know. But then, don't lie. Just don't tell them the truth.”  
“Right, as if that really makes it easier.”  
After they had finished breakfast – neither of them had eaten much, they were just too nervous- they pulled on the Hydra jackets they had been given the day before and made their way to their new workplace. 

On the outside, the lab looked like any lab. But up close, there was a huge difference. Hydra created chaos and death along its path, so their research was all about how to kill or control as many people as possible. Shield's purpose on the other hand was to protect people from the things they couldn't comprehend. A shiver went down Jemma's spine as she thought about the deathly weapons that were to be created in this lab.  
“This is all yours. We read your Shield Academy files and it soon became clear that you two work best together. Just the two of you, right?” Agent Powell, the Hydra agent who showed them around asked.  
Fitz and Simmons nodded in unison.  
“Good,” Powell said, “Your first task would be to analyse these samples, Agent Simmons.” She pointed to some test tubes filled with a dark green liquid on the table.  
“We need to know what chemicals are in there and what effect they have if injected into a human being.”  
“All right,” Simmons replied and moved closer to examine the project.  
“Agent Fitz,” Powell continued, “your job is it to look at this injection syringe and create a more efficient one.”  
“What do you mean “more efficient”? This one looks all right to me.”  
“That's right, it's all right but we need a faster method to inject people and from a larger distance, too. Understood?”  
Fitz nodded. He wanted to know what they were going to inject but thought it might be wiser not to ask too many questions on their first day.  
Agent Powell left their lab and both Fitz and Simmons exhaled in relief.  
“I didn't think we would have a lab to ourselves,” Fitz said. He sounded pleased.  
“Yes, it helps a lot. But I knew they would check our Academy records,” and any records of us, she wanted to add but she didn't. This lab was certainly monitored. She exchanged a look with Fitz and she knew he thought the same thing.  
“Let's get our work done, shall we?” he suggested. 

Fitzsimmons worked on their assigned projects for two days and just these two days were enough to give them a certain feeling about this place. There were laboratories all along the corridors in their part of the building and behind closed doors scientists from all over the world worked on projects to strengthen Hydra. Every few hours a supervising officer would come in and check on their progress. This was new. In Shield Academy they had time to finish their projects in peace, only occasionally they had to report in and then usually a quick update via text message had been enough. Shield had urged them to do their best because they believed in what they were capable of. Hydra, on the other hand, used another method to motivate them: fear.  
“Done,” Simmons exclaimed, delighted. She had just discovered what chemical the last of the twenty substances in her sample was.  
“What is it?” Fitz asked.  
“It's a poison. That really shouldn't surprise me but what does surprise me that it works to activate those parts of our brain that are responsible for fear. This injects fear.” Jemma looked at the results with a mixture of hatred and, yes, fear.  
“And this will help inject it,” Fitz said, holding up the syringe he had created. They shared a horrified look. Jemma fought for a neutral expression and stated: “Fear is their strongest ally. Of course, they want to spread it faster.”  
“We want to spread fear faster, Jemma,” Fitz corrected her. He remembered that they were being watched.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Somehow Jemma ends up spending the night in Fitz's bed and they come up with a plan to cross Hydra's plans.

Chapter Two:

“Why do you think they wanted me to analyse this sample? I'm sure they've already known what it does,” Jemma asked Leo back in their flat.  
“I have been wondering the same thing. Our first task felt like an initiation ritual. They wanted to show us what they are capable of.”  
“Fear and anger are emotions that can control a person's actions in extreme ways. Just look at the Hulk. This serum is a weapon Hydra shouldn't have.”  
“I know,” Fitz agreed, “but there's nothing we could do about this. At least for now. When Coulson and the team know about this, they might be able to do something, anything.”  
Simmons didn't reply. She simply stared at the table in front of her, lost in thoughts. Fitz knew it was best to leave Jemma alone when she was behaving like this, so he went to bed early. 

“Fitz, wake up!”  
“What?”, Fitz was tangled in his sheets and looked around, bewildered. For a moment Jemma forgot why she came. She just looked at him and couldn't help but notice how cute he was.  
“Jemma, it's the middle of the night.”  
“Yes, I know but I just thought of something. I want to know how much fear they have.”  
“How much fear they have? Hydra? They don't fear anything...”  
“No, I mean how much of the fear serum they have. I have to know if there is more as in just a few more samples or a whole container full of liquid fear, waiting to be injected into innocent people.” She had moved closer to his bed and sat down next to him.  
“Jemma, I told you that will be the team's job, not ours.”  
“Right, the team. But Fitz, we are part of the team and it might already be too late when the team gets here.”  
“What do you want to do?” Fitz said, now completely awake.  
“When I know where the fear serum is, I can add something to change its structure and therefore the effect it has. They would probably know if it doesn't work anymore but what I could do is simply make sure its effects don't last long. A few minutes maybe instead of hours.”  
Leo stared at her in amazement but then he shook his head sadly: “Jemma, even if you can make this work, we'll never get in there. They will keep the fear serum well protected.”  
“But we can't just do nothing!” Jemma exclaimed, frustrated.  
“Jemma, calm down” Leo reached for her. He lay one of his hand on her shoulder. The touch calmed her a little and his voice did the rest: “Jemma, if there's a way for us to do something about the fear serum, I promise you, I'm with you. But only as long as it's not too risky. Coulson relies on us. We mustn't disappoint him.”  
Jemma nodded and then she hugged him. It felt so good to hug him. These past weeks had been so stressful that there had hardly been any time for simple gestures such as hugging.  
“I'm so glad you are here, Fitz. That we are on this mission together. I wouldn't know how to do this without you.” How to do anything without you, she added in her thoughts.  
“Me, too, Jemma. Me, too,” Leo said, patting her back a little awkwardly.  
Jemma woke up to the faint sound of her alarm clock. Why was it so quiet? She moved to switch it off, when instead of the alarm clock, her hand found Leo's hand.  
“Fitz!” She sat up straight.  
“What are you doing here?” Fitz said the same moment she said: “What am I doing here?”  
They burst out into laughter.  
“You came to tell me about your plan to manipulate the fear serum. It seems like you fell asleep beside me,” Fitz said. Then he turned off his own alarm clock which had gone off in the meantime.  
“I'm sorry, Fitz. I must have been a lot more tired than I thought,” she said, trying desperately to smooth down her tangled hair.  
“It's okay, Jemma. It was... nice actually. I haven't slept this well in a long time.”  
Jemma gave him a bright smile. “I'm going to get ready... thanks for sharing your bed, I guess...”  
“You're welcome. Any time,” Fitz said, returning her smile. 

Although Fitz had told her to be careful, Simmons couldn't stop thinking about the possible litres of fear serum hidden somewhere in the Hydra facility. If she only knew where exactly... She was standing in line for lunch, Fitz right behind her. Many agents left the facility for lunch break, but Fitzsimmons thought eating in the cafeteria was a good way to get to know some of the other Hydra agents.  
“I don't get why they wouldn't simply use it as a gas. This way it would work a lot faster than when it's injected,” the agent in front of her told his colleague.  
“I know. But gas is more difficult to control and it's easier to transport, too,” the other agent argued.  
“If you say so, but...,” the agent complained, but he was interrupted when he got his lunch.  
“Fitz!” Jemma turned to him, a question in her wide eyes.  
Fitz nodded, understanding what she told him. After lunch they carefully followed the two agents down a corridor and then another. Then they disappeared behind a door.  
“Do you think it's in there?” Fitz asked.  
Jemma nodded. “We'll come back later,” she whispered.  
It really was like old times. Fitzsimmons were once again the last to leave their lab. Usually it just sort of happened because they were so amazed by their work, they didn't notice the hours passing by. But this time they did it on purpose. Despite the late hour, the Hydra facility was pretty busy. Laziness and world domination didn't work well together. But when they got to the corridor where the agents had vanished earlier today, it was deserted. The door was locked and protected by a code, but Fitz cracked it open in no time. Inside was a storage room with hundreds of bottles and tanks labelled each with a combination of numbers and letters.  
“What exactly are we looking for?” Fitz asked, skimming the labels.  
“I don't know. The chemical inscription would be...” Jemma's voice trailed off, as she moved closer to one of the shelves. “Fitz, here it is!” She whispered excitedly and pointed to a container that looked like it could hold a few dozen litres of the dark green liquid.  
“That's a lot,” Fitz said, horrified. Jemma looked up into his face, her face mirroring his horror. “We have to stop this,” she said.  
“We will,” he replied, “But...” Fitz stopped abruptly.  
“What?” He held up his hand to quiet her. Then she heard it, too. The clack, clack of boots on the stone floor. Instinctively she took Leo's hand.  
“What are you two doing down here?” A voice said from behind them. Slowly, they turned around. It was Agent Powell.  
“We... ehm... we came here because...”, Fitz started to stutter.  
“We're sorry, Agent Powell. We don't know where we are... we were just looking for a place to...you know... be alone,” Jemma interrupted him, pressing his hand harder.  
“You were sneaking off to make out?” she seemed to believe Jemma's story, although she frowned at them, “Don't you two share a flat?”  
“Yes, we do... well... it just kind of happened. We're sorry and it won't happen again.” Jemma blushed successfully, although she felt more like fainting at this point.  
“You are young and passionate. That isn't really a bad thing but you should keep it on check while you work.”  
“Of course,” Fitzsimmons whispered sheepishly.  
“I have one last question, though. How did you get in here, the door is supposed to be locked,” Powell asked.  
“Oh, it wasn't locked. Maybe someone forgot, but I just had to push a bit harder than for a usual door and it opened,” Fitz lied.  
“I'll have security check this. You two better get home and well there you can...” she trailed off meaningfully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I kept my promise and updated. Next update comes next Wednesday. Since the new season is on I will probably post some Fitzsimmons one-shots soon. Please tell me how you like it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pretend dating involves kissing right? Fitz is not exactly an expert when it comes to that. Simmons gets an assignment.

“We were there to make out? Seriously?” Fitz asked Jemma as soon as they were inside their flat.  
“You didn't look like you would come up with a believable excuse anytime soon,” Jemma replied defensively. She couldn't really explain to herself why she had come up with this either. Maybe it was because she had thought about kissing Fitz an awful lot lately.  
“It worked,” Fitz sounded surprised.   
“Yes, it did but...”, she had just thought of something. She looked at Fitz, his blue eyes and curly hair and her eyes travelled down to his lips. Jemma Simmons had always been a curious person. It was an experiment, she told herself. But did she really need any more proof about how she felt about Leo?   
Jemma took a deep breath and said: “If we wanna keep this up, we need to rehearse it.”  
“Rehearse what?” Fitz asked.  
“Acting like a couple.”  
“Why?”  
“Well, from what Skye told me, you're not exactly a believable pretend boyfriend,” she told him teasingly.   
“What?!” Fitz exclaimed, "What does that even mean? I was very good. The man on the train totally believed it.”  
“Yeah, like you know much about it. How many girls have you even kissed?” She told herself it didn't matter. She was just curious, right?  
“Jemma!” Fitz said annoyed, but then he turned red. “Just one actually...”  
She tried not too look relieved. “What was it like?”  
Fitz's face became even redder and then he admitted: “It was during Truth and Dare. I had to kiss Becky Eaton.”  
“For Truth and Dare? That doesn't count.”  
“It does. It was with tongue!” protested Fitz. He was so cute when he got worked up on something.  
Simmons laughed. Fitz scowled at her. Then he asked a bit shyly: “How about you? You used to date when we were back at the Academy.”  
“Yes, I went out with a couple of guys and I kissed some of them.”  
“So you think you're better than I am?”  
“A better kisser?” Jemma asked confused.  
“Yes,” said Fitz leaning closer towards her.  
“Oh, you want me to prove it to you, don't you?” She whispered. Was this really happening?  
Fitz opened his mouth to reply but his words were silenced by Jemma's lips on his. He tasted sweet and lovely. His hand wandered up into her soft hair. Then her arms locked around his neck and she pressed herself closer to him. This, Jemma thought, was what it should be like to kiss someone. She felt like everything around her was disappearing and the only thing that mattered was Leo kissing her.  
When they eventually broke apart, Fitz was panting. Jemma noticed that Leo's cheeks were blushed. He looked cute and handsome as always but a new word formed in her mind as she looked at him now. Yes, he was sexy, too.  
“That was pretty something,” he said eventually to break the silence.  
“Indeed it was,” Jemma grinned. She leaned back and stood up as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. But inside she felt like her world had just been turned upside down and she had lost the ground beneath her feet. She felt light but in a good way.   
“I think you can be a convincing kisser,” she said before she left through the door.  
As soon as Jemma closed her bedroom door behind her, she sat down on the floor, staring at the bed without actually seeing anything. What had just happened? Had she really just kissed Leo Fitz, her best friend for over ten years? She still felt his lips on hers and knew it was real. But what did it mean? To her? To him? Had this just been a kiss or actually the beginning of something big?   
Anyway their situation was complicated enough without her overanalysing the possibility that she and Fitz could be more than friends. She could pretend that she was loyal to Hydra. She could pretend that she and Fitz were a couple. And she had to pretend towards Leo that she wanted to be nothing than his best friend. Pretending was the part of being an agent of Shield she hadn't given much thought since she had spent most of her time in a lab. But now she had to excel in it. At least as long as she didn't know what it was exactly that she felt towards Fitz. 

“Jemma?” Fitz knocked quietly at her door.  
“Yes?”   
“I made dinner...if you want something. I made your favourite, spaghetti bolognese.”  
Oh, Fitz, she thought, he really was the best.   
“Coming,” she said and opened the door.   
Fitz made the best spaghetti bolognese in the whole world, according to Simmons. She hadn't realised how hungry she was.   
“So what is our next step?” Fitz asked. There was some awkwardness between them.  
“Our next step...? I haven't thought about it that much. But now that we know where the serum is, we can ask for help from the team and eliminate it.”  
“And totally blow up our cover,” Leo added.   
“Right,” Jemma admitted, “Still, we have made an important discovery today.”  
“But what about our cover story?” Fitz asked, averting his eyes.   
“I don't know if Powell is a chatty person but just to be sure, we should act like a couple. I mean more than we usually do.”  
Fitz looked up in surprise: “What do you mean?”   
“Most people already think we act like an old married couple, don't they?”  
“Yes, right, we do act like that sometimes,” Fitz said, laughing, “Well, we spend so much time together, it's hard not to be close.”  
Close... like best friends, Jemma thought, but not like lovers. That's what he thought of them. 

The next morning Agent Powell showed up at their lab and Jemma immediately tensed up. They didn't believe their lie. They were discovered. But when Powell smiled and greeted them with “Hello, love-birds.” Jemma let herself relax.   
“Agent Simmons, Agent Lance expects you in his office. I shall escort you.”  
Fitzsimmons exchanged a worried look. “See you later,” Jemma said and gave him a light kiss on the cheek.  
Agent Powell led her to a huge office in the fourth floor. A tall man with black hair and a constant frown on his face sat behind a desk.   
“Agent Simmons, I assume?” He got up as Jemma entered.  
“Yes, Sir.”  
“I've read a lot about you and I believe you are just the right person for this. But first let me ask you a question: Why did you join Hydra?”  
Don't lie. Just don't tell them the truth, Fitz had told her. She had expected to answer this question eventually but now Agent Lance was piercing her with his grey eyes.  
“Because of science. Hydra's science department is quite impressive. Shield can't keep up with that”  
“And now, are your loyalties with Hydra?”  
Jemma gave him a steady look and thought she could simply say yes. But that would be a lie. “Don't lie. Just don't tell them the truth”, Fitz had told her.  
“My loyalties are with science,” she replied firmly. Agent Lance seemed satisfied with her answer.  
“I want to show you something,” he said and motioned for her to follow him. They reached a large room which looked like a combination of a training area with a laboratory. In the middle of it was a woman restrained to something that kept her eyes open. Jemma exhaled in shock. The woman was looking at screen that showed confusing images.   
“Do you comply?” A Hydra agent standing beside her asked.  
“I do,” she cried in agony.   
“This, Agent Simmons, is how we make people comply. They loose their own will power and do whatever they are told when they are thrown in this machine,” Agent Lance explained. Jemma tried to hide her disgust.   
“But as you can imagine, this is a long and complex process,” he sounded like it personally pained him, like he had to undergo this terrible torture. “We'd much rather have a serum like the one you analysed. Liquid fear. A small injection and compliance is granted. That's what we want and I think you might just be clever enough to create such a serum.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fitzsimmons give Coulson an update. In the lab an accident happens, which leads to a shirtless Fitz...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone waited for an update, I'm sorry for the hiatus. But since I didn't get any comments on this fic, so I don't know if anyone wants to know how this will finish. So if you like this, please leave a comment. Enjoy!

Jemma looked around cautiously as she sat down inside the bar. Fitz came towards her, carrying two bottles of beer.  
"You think this is a good place? " Jemma asked anxiously.  
"Yes, it's crowded and loud. Perfect, " Fitz reassured her.  
"Fitzsimmons, " said a voice from behind them. It was Agent Coulson. He wore a fedora and sunglasses. "I'm glad to see you two."  
"We too, Sir, " Jemma said and made space for him to sit down.  
"How is everyone? " she asked.  
"Everyone is doing okay," Coulson answered and seeing Jemma's critical look he added, "really things are good. How are you two?"  
"Good," Fitz said, "we are making progress. " He exchanged a look with Jemma.  
"Yes, yesterday I was asked into Lance's office.” She continued to tell Coulson what had happened yesterday and handed him a hard drive.  
"This is horrible indeed, “Coulson said, grimacing.  
"How long do you think we have to stay undercover? " Fitz asked.  
"Honestly, I don't know. We have other agents infiltrated into Hydra but you're the only ones in the science branch. With Simmons in the compliance serum team, we have the possibility to see right inside their structures and plans...I thought that this might happen. The only problem with highly trained agents is no matter how hard you train them, you can't erase every part of humanity out of them. As hard as it seems to believe, Ward had feelings. In his weird way he grew attached to us. Not enough to stop Garrett but enough to question himself. They wouldn't want that to happen again," Coulson said thoughtfully.  
“From what I have seen, it's possible to create the compliance serum,” Jemma admitted.  
“Then we have to hope that you are the one to discover it,” Coulson said.  
"I'll give my best," Jemma reassured him.  
"I didn't expect anything less," said Coulson proudly, "but I'm afraid I've got to go. Fitzsimmons, stay safe. " With these words he left.  
“Fitz, how am I supposed to do this? I'm alone with this...” Jemma asked desperately.  
“No, Jemma. You're not alone. I'll help you.” Fitz leaned towards her and gave her a light kiss on the forehead.  
Jemma looked around, alarmed. She expected to see a Hydra agent around despite the fact that they were in a bar. When she couldn't see anyone, she asked curiously: "What was that for? "  
"Reassurance, " Fitz replied.  
Jemma smiled her cutest smile.  
"We can do this. We're Fitzsimmons after all," he said with confidence.  
"When you say it like this, it sounds like it's a superhero name, " Jemma giggled. 

On the holotable was a model of the human brain. Simmons looked at it thoughtfully.  
“I know where the serum has to get into effect, but I don't know how to get it there.” She frowned. She really didn't like not knowing things.  
Fitz looked up from his table: “Maybe you should simply inject the needle right into it? The brain I mean?”  
“Yes, sure, but what do you think we have a skull for?”  
“Oh, right,” Fitz admitted as he reached up to get something of the shelf, “Well, you're the biochemist. You'll figure something out. Although if you want me to look something up or whatever, you know I'm here to help...ouch.” Something had fallen down from one of the upper shelf boards, right on Fitz' head.  
“Fitz, are you okay?”  
“Yeah, fine...I just...stupid,” Fitz stammered while he lifted his hand to feel for a wound.  
“Oh, let me take a look,” she gently made him sit down on a chair. “Oh, no. You'll need a few stitches. Let me get the first aid kit.”  
“But, Jemma, your project...let someone else...”  
He was interrupted: “No, I rather do this myself and it's not too bad. It'll just take a couple of minutes.” She took a washing cloth, made it wet and cautiously began to get the blood and dirt out of his hair.  
When the wound was clean, Jemma applied some disinfectant. “Ouch!” Fitz winced, causing Jemma to drop the bottle of disinfectant right on his shoulder. He caught it before it hit the floor. But some of the brown liquid had been spilled across his shirt.  
“Oh! I'm so sorry. I ruined your shirt.”  
“It's nothing, Jemma. Don't worry,” Fitz said, “It definitely wasn't your fault. I shouldn't have winced.”  
“Maybe if I wash it right now, I could get most of the disinfectant out of it,” Jemma suggested.  
Fitz couldn't argue with that logic. When he reached for the first button of his shirt, she couldn't help but stare.  
“You know I have always wondered if there is anything beneath them.” Why did she just say that?  
“Beneath what?”  
“Your plaid shirts.”  
“My shirts...?” He looked confused, it was so cute.  
“Yes, you usually wear plaid shirts. They used to be more colourful, though.”  
“Yeah...well that was because I don't feel so cheerful in here.” She had noticed that too.  
“You're right. Hydra clothing style is a shade darker than the one from Shield. Anyway I have never seen you shirtless.”  
“You have never seen me shirtless?” he asked, rising an eyebrow in surprise. Where was this going?  
“I'm a doctor. I took care of all our team's injuries. When Coulson was hurt, or when Ward was shot and beaten up or Agent Triplet. I saw them all without a shirt on, but you never got hurt there, thankfully so I don't know what it looks like underneath your shirts.”  
“So you wanna find out?” He asked, his voice suddenly a bit husky.  
“Yes...for science.”  
“Okay...” he reached for the second button of his grey and dark red plaid dress shirt. He undid it while he watched Jemma's reaction.  
“Let me...”, she whispered and reached for the next button and then the one after that. Soon all the button were undone and she pushed the shirt off his shoulders with gentle fingers. The disinfectant strains were long forgotten.  
“Wow,” she said as she spread her palms across his chest. He sucked in his breath.  
“I like that you don't have any scars there. I mean scars can be badges of honour but I still believe it's better to not have any. You've been through enough already.”  
Fitz didn't reply. He just starred at her wide eyed. Her hand travelled down to his stomach. He didn't really have muscles there. He was just pale, soft skin but she didn't mind. Her hands explored every part of his skin. Finally she lay them on the small of his back and hugged him tightly. She wondered if he was thinking about reaching for the button of her blouse, but before his hand had found it, the door busted open.  
“Ugh, what! Cover up! Immediately!” It was Powell.  
“Oh, sorry,” Jemma replied giggling. She stepped away from Fitz and handed him his shirt, which he quickly put on.  
“Really, you two should get a grip on this! No more making out in this lap!” She exclaimed.  
“We weren't...that wasn't...” Fitz tried to explain. But really what had just happened?  
“We're sorry, Agent Powell and we promise it won't happen again.” Simmons interrupted him.  
“Good,” Powell said and then a smile spread across her face, “You two are adorable. It's refreshing in these hard times.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jemma gets a deadline and they tell her that the serum will be tested on Fitz. Her fear for Fitz' life finally makes her admit her feelings for Fitz.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the comments and sorry for the hiatus! But I promiss I will keep it updated. Two more chapters to go. Enjoy and comments are always appreaciated!

“Agent Simmons, you know how important this serum is, don't you?"

"Yes, Sir," Jemma replied dutifully. 

"We would like to give you another reason why you should not mess this up," Agent Lance continued and Jemma knew immediately nothing good could come from this. 

"We'll test your serum tomorrow at 3 pm. And we'll test it on Agent Fitz. I do believe you don't want him to suffer?"

Jemma sucked in her breath and then she replied with a small voice: "No, of course not."

"I'm glad you understand,” Lance said with an evil grin and added: “You're dismissed. You have 24 hours."

As soon as Jemma had left Lance's office, she ran towards the nearest bathroom and locked herself inside. What was she supposed to do? They were going to inject Fitz. They were going to hurt Fitz and she was the only one who could stop them. 

She slowly sank down on the toilet seat and felt the tears starting to run down her cheeks that she had been holding back for what seemed like weeks. But really it only had been a few days that they were undercover in Hydra. She tried to remember the excitement she had felt when they were first told about their undercover mission. Now she felt nothing but fear, fear for Fitz and about what Hydra was capable off. 

But it was no good, sitting here and crying. Jemma knew that. She had to get up and do her best to protect Fitz. Oh, Fitz! He probably worried about her. She needed to get back to their lab, but at first she had to get rid of the make-up smears on her cheeks. As she sprayed some water on her face, she got an idea about what she should do next. 

" Leopold!" Jemma said as she entered the lab.

"Jemma, what..." Fitz looked up at her in confusion but then his lips formed an inaudible: “Oh”. He comprehended. 

"I'm hungry. Do you want to grab some lunch outside?” he asked.

“Good idea. I'm starving,” Simmons replied and took his hand to urge him to go immediately.

"Okay, let's go."

 

Somehow she never had let go of his hand. So their fingers were still intertwined as they left the Hydra facility. When they were out of earshot, Fitz turned to her, a little annoyed: "Really you had to use Leopold?"

"It used to be our old code," Simmons said defensively.

"Yes, I get that. But it was our code to get the other out of an awkward situation…"

"Unfortunately, this isn't an awkward but a dangerous situation but I needed to get you out of there.”

She made a dramatic pause. “We have to talk."

Jemma told him what had happened in Lance's office. She did however leave out her breakdown at the toilet. She didn't need him to worry more about her than he already did. 

"They want to test it on me?" Fitz asked. "What good will that do?"

"They want to make sure that I don't mess up or try to kill anyone. They want to inject it into someone I care about."

"But the serum works, doesn't it?"

"Yes and that's what scares me. "

"Why?"

"When you are injected with the compliance serum, you do whatever you're told. They can tell you to jump out off the window and you would do it."

"But they won't do it. They need us, at least, they need you to be alive and work for them. You're a genius and killing me off would probably not make you like them."

"Fitz," said Jemma in an exasperated voice, "don't speak so casually about dying. But you are right, if they hurt you, I'd be furious. I..." she fought against the stupid tears that were about to come yet again.

"Leo, I don't know what I would do without you and I never want to find out. I..." The three little words were on the tip of her tongue.

"You never will. You're my best friend in the world," Fitz reassured her.

And somehow this made her say it. His best friend.

"Fitz, but you're more than that." She did it. She told him.

"What?" He replied and Jemma's heart fell. But there was no going back now. "I'm in love with you. I just never found the courage to tell you."

And then he did the last thing she would have expected. Fitz started to laugh.

"Jemma," he said a little breathlessly, "Jemma, you always had more guts than I had."

When she looked at him confused, he added: "For months I have been trying to come up with a way to tell you that I have fallen in love with you." 

Jemma let out a relived laugh.  
"This could have been so awkward, " she whispered as she looked into Fitz' eyes. The fact that he loved seemed to be so obviously written in them. She was about the same height as Fitz. She had always like that about them, that she could look him into the eyes without reaching up or looking down. And recently, she thought it was the perfect height for kissing, too. Jemma put her arms around Leo's neck and pulled herself closer to him. And this time they didn't pretend or hold back any feelings. This was the kind of kiss fairy tales would call “a kiss of true love”. 

When they eventually broke apart, Leo said from right beside her ear: "I love you, Jemma."

“I love you, Leo,” she replied and it felt so natural to say it now.

“We are going to fix this. Together. They won't hurt me,” he reassured her and for the moment she believed him. 

So Jemma rested her head against his shoulder and whispered: “Okay.”

They stayed like that for a few minutes, when Jemma suddenly exclaimed: "Fitz, I know how we can fix this! It's risky and difficult. But it might be our only chance."

"Jemma, what? What are you talking about?"

She told him about the plan that was becoming more concrete every second. 

"I told you. You are a genius!" Fitz said and kissed her.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jemma can't sleep so she goes to Fitz for comfort. Their plan is set into motion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the next chapter will be the last of this fic. Let me know what you think!

“Fitz, I can't sleep," Jemma stood in his door frame. She wore pyjamas shorts and a blue tank top. It wasn't something Fitz hadn't seen before but Jemma noticed how his eyes went wide.

"Me neither ", he admitted, "Do you want to talk about it?"   
He motioned her to sit down on his bed.

"I'm scared, Fitz. I think I've never been this scared before and you know I'm a nervous type of person."

"It's going to be fine, Jemma," he said, taking her hand in his, "You can do this. I believe in you. I always have."

"But what if anything goes wrong, Leo, it's your life that's at stake. I don't want to take any risks," she sounded desperate.

"That's part of our job. We take risks all the time, but this risk? It'll be worth it."

"You're right. I'm being stupid."

"Jemma Simmons, listen to me," Leo said earnestly, "you're a lot of things: kind, beautiful, amazing, brave but you're never, never stupid. You're the smartest person I know. Really, there is no way this won't work. And you know why I'm so certain about this? Because you did this and everything you do is amazing,"

Tears had began to run down Jemma's cheeks and Leo quickly caught them with his finger. She smiled at him her beautiful bright smile that managed to light up even the darkest of days.

"Thank you, Fitz, " she whispered, "you know why I would never give up? Because I have you."

She leaned in to kiss him. And this time she was sure he knew that it wasn't for the cameras or to tease him but because it simply felt so right to kiss him. She wondered why she hadn't done that a long time before. Kiss him, when she felt like it instead of over-thinking ever possible outcome of her love confession to him. One of his hands reached up into her hair and the other travel to the small of he back, pulling her closer to him. She pulled her hands trough his curly hair and suddenly she felt very conscious about the fact that there were only a few layers of clothes between them.

This could be it, she realised. They were alone, the possible bugs in their flat were long forgotten and this might be their last change, too. Despite everything Fitz had said to reassure her, she still felt like they could fail, she could fail. She kissed him harder and felt him respond to her with the same desperation. 

When they paused to catch their breath, she looked into his eyes. They were so full off love and admiration for her that she felt like her heart might bust into pieces if she kept looking at him. Jemma repositioned herself onto his lap and kissed him again. This time his hands stayed at her waist and when she reached up her arms, he shot her a questioning look. 

"Do you want to? I mean... are you sure?" He asked, his hands played nervously with the hem of her tank top.

"Yes, Leo. I'm sure about you. I love you." That did it. Fitz didn't hesitate again and sure enough, soon all over their clothes had landed on the floor.

"You're beautiful, Jemma, so beautiful," Fitz whispered in awe.

The alarm clock went off far too soon as always. But Jemma had never wanted to stay in bed more than on this particular morning when she woke up and found Fitz' arms wrapped around her. She turned around to face him.

"Good morning, Leo," she said, smiling at him.

"Good morning," he gave her a light kiss on the forehead.

 

At five to three Jemma entered the room where Agent Lance and the others expected her. Fitz was already there. He sat in a chair at the other side of the room and seemed to be unharmed. But Jemma noticed that there were handcuffs at the armrest, ready to bind him to the chair. Leo gave her a small, reassuring smile.

"You have what we asked for? " Agent Lance asked.

"Yes, here it is, Sir." Jemma handed him a syringe and an electronic device that looked like a headphone.

"It works? "

" Yes, Sir. The syringe has to be injected into the victim," she nodded into Fitz direction, "and then you have to attach it to the headphone for the connection between you and the victim so your directions can be transmitted."

"So I take this and then I just tell him what to do and he'll comply?"

"Exactly, Sir. If you inject more people, they'll all comply."

"Thank you, Agent Simmons. If this works, you will be rewarded.” Jemma tried hard not to look like she would throw up any second. 

“Let the test begin. Agent Fitz, give me your arm,” Lance commanded.

Fitz stretched out his arm and Jemma saw how he tried to not show any emotion as the syringe entered his skin.

A few seconds passed. Fitz expression didn't change. Then Agent Lance ordered: "Stand up."

Fitz stood up.

"Reach for your toes."

Fitz reached down. It was sickening to look at. Lance told him a couple of basic orders and he complied to everyone of them without a second of hesitation.

"You see, Sir. The serum works," Jemma said cautiously.

"It seems like it but it could be a trick you two play on me."

"What? No, Sir. I wouldn't dare to..." Lance held up a hand to quiet her.

"One final test and we'll know,” Lance said and pointed to a gun that lay on a table next to Fitz chair: “Agent Fitz, take this gun and shot her."

Without so much as a blink, Fitz took the gun and aimed at Jemma's head. His finger was near the trigger but just then he hesitated. Just for one second. Jemma held her breath.

"Do it. Now! " Lance barked. The gun went off but it didn't hit Jemma.   
Instead Agent Lance lay bleeding on the ground. Jemma pulled out her mini-icer, which she had kept hidden under her blouse and shot around at the other two agents who were taken aback by the way this had worked out. Adrenaline shot through Jemma and just a moment later the agents were knocked out.

"Fitzsimmons!" A voice called from behind them. Jemma was ready to shoot again but the blonde woman in the black battle suit in front of her held up her hands in a calming gesture, "Coulson sent us to get you out of here. Go to the roof! Hurry!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter: Time for a happy ending

"That was amazing," Jemma said in awe.  
Fitz followed her gaze. It was directed towards Bobbi Morse, the undercover Shield agent, who had rescued them. Bobbi was talking to Coulson, beside them on a bench sat Lance Hunter. He held his shoulder in pain and cursed a lot but otherwise they had gotten out of Hydra unharmed. It was a real miracle and a lot was thanks to Bobbi's incredible fighting skills.

"Fitzsimmons, you're back!" The door was bust open and Skye ran in to hug them. She did this triple hug thing and soon everyone involved was catching their breath. 

Skye examined them critically and a smile spread across her face.  
"Something happened," she said, grinning even wider.

Jemma blushed. Why did she always have to blush in moments like this?

"Yes, actually a lot has happened," Fitz started, completely oblivious to the hidden meaning behind Skye's words. "At first we had to...."

"No,no. I mean between you and Jemma...I see there's something different between you two," Skye said.

"No...what? Everything is fine. We are good. Nothing happened," Jemma rambled. She was still a terrible liar, especially in situations like these.

"Jemma Simmons," Skye warned her, "tell me what happened! And don't you dare say nothing," she added before Jemma could even get the first syllable out of her mouth. 

Jemma exchanged a meaningful glance with Fitz. Fitz gave a small nod as to say "go ahead".

Jemma took a deep breath and then admitted:"Fitz and I are in love with each other."

"Oh, please, tell me something I don't know," Skye demanded jokingly.

"And .....uhm....we kissed," Fitz added and Fitzsimmons turned red.

"Yessss!" Skye screamed so loud that Bobbi, Hunter and Coulson shot them a curious look. She held up her hand for a high five. 

Fitzsimmons looked at her hand, then at each other and ultimately Skye let her hand fall down again.

"We should really celebrate this...you two are finally together. You kissed! Watching you dance around each other over the past months had been agonising," Skye put an emphasis on the last word and left to prepare a party no one could ever forget as she said. 

Once she was gone, Fitz and Jemma shared an uneasy look.

"We shouldn't have told her," they said in unison.

They laughed together.

"She would have found out sooner or later anyway," Jemma said. 

"That's true," Leo agreed, "and now the whole team will know..."

"Do you...do you want to keep this...us...a secret?" Jemma couldn't help it but she sounded offeneded.

"No, no, no.... I could shout out to the whole world that we love each other," Fitz hurried to say, " I just... I don't really feel like having a party right now and I don't want to talk about what happened back with Agent Lance.... I much rather spend time with you alone, Jemma."

"That makes two of us," she replied, "come on then." Jemma reached for Fitz' hand and pulled him along with her.

 

It was vey early in the morning but Shield agents didn't really folow any sleep schedules. Jemma had let Leo outside on the roof.

"We can watch the sunrise from here," she told him with a glance at her watch. It wouldn't be long until a new day would begin.

"Okay," Fitz said and they sat down next to each other. Fitz put his arm around Jemma's shoulder and gently pulled her towards him. She rested her head against his shoulder. They sat like this for a while in comfortable silence. 

"It's hard to imagine that there is so much evil in this world when you have a view like this," Jemma said eventually, "we might have delayed Hydra from spreading the compliance serum, but we are far from stopping Hydra forever."

Fitz looked down at he: "Jemma, you were incredibly brave. I don't know if I could have acted so calmly if it had been you on that chair."

"You could have, if you knew it was the only way to save my life, couldn't you?" Jemma asked gently.

Fitz nodded slowly.

"See? It isn't that hard to be brave if you act out of love. You remember how Harry says that Voldemort's flaw was that he never loved....that he didn't understand love...?"

"Of course."

"I know it's sort of cheesy but ultimately it's true. Hydra doesn't love what they do. They are motivated by either fear or the desire for power. Fear and power are no fundament for real loyalty and eventually that will bring Hydra down."

"I hope so, Jemma," Fitz said. "You know I'd never want to go through this again but I'm glad that it gave us the near death experience we apparently needed to talk about our feelings for each other."

"Me too," Jemma said and turned her head to kiss him. 

"Fitzsimmons! There you are...the party..." Skye stopped midsentence. "Never mind, we'll just start without you," they heard her murmur as she left them alone. 

Fitzsimmons laughed and then they kissed some more. The first rays of sunshine touched their faces as they finally broke apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was it. I took me ages to complete but it's finished and I hope you enjoyed it. Comments are much appreciated.


End file.
